An investigation of Ontario high school students' understanding of acids and bases with quantitative and qualitative methods revealed misconceptions. A concept map, based on the objectives of the Chemistry Curriculum Guideline, generated multiple-choice items and interview questions. The multiple-choice test was administered to 34 grade 12…

Some understanding of biology is needed for the success of individuals in modern societies. This monograph is a report of an assessment of educational achievement by a sample of secondary school biology students in the United States within the context of current knowledge of teaching and learning strategies, the role of biological literacy in…

This study focused on potential pedagological uses of standardized placement exams. A sample of 250 exams of the May 1984 Biology Advanced Placement (AP) exam was obtained and student responses to the question on cell structure were analyzed. The frequency of particular responses to the question is listed and trends and patterns in the responses…

This paper describes the results of a student science assessment test and teacher questionnaire surveying 424 sixth grade teachers in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The student test measures student attitudes to science and scientists, knowledge in life, physical and earth science, and student competence on 12 science processes…

The North Carolina End-of-Course Testing Program was established to provide student, school, and school system information about achievement in high school courses. Approximately 83.4 percent of the 77,154 students who took the biology test were in the tenth grade. Students taking biology in the ninth grade (8.3 percent) were on an accelerated…

A majority of the school districts that desegregate use magnet schools as part of their effort. Magnet schools offer enriched academic or vocational programs to attract committed students whose neighborhood schools do not offer the coursework and activities they seek. This paper is concerned with science magnet schools. This study was designed to…

The purpose of this paper is to simultaneously optimize decision rules for combinations of elementary decisions. As a result of this approach, rules are found that make more efficient use of the data than does optimizing those decisions separately. The framework for the approach is derived from empirical Bayesian theory. To illustrate the…

This booklet describes the assessment objectives of the sixth national assessment of science by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Chapters included are: (1) "Introduction" (describing the development process for the objectives and the purpose and elements of school science); (2) "The Assessment Framework"…

This paper compares the old and new curricula of elementary mathematics and natural science in the Republic of China. This study, as the second phase of an evaluation period, tested a sample of the students while they were in the ninth grade and compared them to students who received the old curricula during their elementary studies. The data were…

Increased emphasis on public school accountability has resulted in several states including a science component in their elementary and middle school testing program. This component often includes items designed to measure process skill ability. The purpose of this study was to examine the performance of high school students on four types of…

As one in a series of test item collections developed by the Assessment and Evaluation Unit of the Directorate of Studies, items are made available to teachers for the construction of unit tests or term examinations or as a basis for class discussion. Each collection was reviewed for content validity and reliability. The test items meet syllabus…

The graphics and animation capabilities of computers offer a new dimension in science testing. Instead of presenting verbal situations or questions with accompanying pictures, computers can present simulated actions and events that are the focus of science questions. The purpose of this project was to develop a valid and reliable computer-based…

Presented is a 30-item observational instrument to be used for the evaluation and description of preservice or inservice science teaching in the elementary school. Sections of the instrument include (1) use of intellectual development stages, (2) performance objectives, (3) lesson planning skills, (4) instruction sequencing, (5) question asking…

This is a condensed report of a study commissioned by the Minister's Advisory Committee on Student Achievement (MACOSA) to study student achievement in science at grades three, six, nine, and twelve in Alberta, Canada. Baseline information for future assessments and a summary of student achievement of curricular objectives were to be provided.…

Presented is a description and copy of a test manual developed to include items in the test on the basis of children's performance; each item correlated highly with performance on an external criterion. The external criterion was the Individual Competency Measures of the elementary science program Science - A Process Approach (SAPA). The test…